Ebonyi, Petrol Marketers Differ On Filling Stations

Officials of the Ebonyi State Government and petrol marketers operating in the state have expressed divergent views that led to  shut down of some petrol stations in the state.
While petrol marketers attribute the reason to hike in tax demanded by the state, government officials claim it was due to the visit of officials from the secretariats of IPMAN and Petrol Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN) in Enugu to the state.
Our correspondent reports that the development left scores of motorists and commuters stranded and paralysed commercial activities in Abakaliki and other parts of the state.
It also kept several commercial motorcyclists and tricycles operators off the roads.
The few who were on the roads say they bought petrol at between N300 to N400 per litre instead of the N145 per litre-pump price.
The development also led to 200 per cent hike in transport fares across the state.
Commuters who could not afford the hike in transport fares walked to their various offices and business areas.
Government officials dismissed insinuation that the shut down of petrol stations was caused by strike embarked by marketers over hike in tax.
But IPMAN members insisted they embarked on the strike due astronomical hike in tax demanded by the government.
Bassey Chima, SA to Ebonyi governor on Petroleum Products Pricing and Distribution, attributed the reason for the shut down of petrol stations to the visit of officials of IPMAN and PEDAN zonal secretariats  Ebonyi.
“Officials of IPMAN and PEDAN zonal secretariats in Enugu are visiting their members in Ebonyi for a meeting.
“The marketers decided to shut down petrol stations to enable their members attend the meeting; this is the usual practice when officials from the secretariat visit any area.
“Petrol dealers are not on strike over hike in taxes as being insinuated.
“The government cannot allow any development that will bring untold hardship to the people,” Chima added.
However, a top official of IPMAN, who spoke under condition of anonymity, countered the claim made by the SA, insisting his members were on strike.
“We are protesting the enforcement of N150, 000 which the government insisted we must pay as tax to operate in the state.